Romania’s IT Sector Faces Need for Adaptation Amid Global Shifts

Dan Alexandru Barbu, CEO Matteale Consulting, a Romanian IT company, predicts a growth of the IT market in Romania due to increased digitalization demand, with a 5% rise in jobs by 2025. In his view, Romania will also remain employee-friendly, offering competitive pricing and adaptability. However, Romania faces global industry challenges such as layoffs, requiring adaptation and investment in emerging technologies and workforce upskilling.

How has Matteale Consulting come to life in Romania?

MATTEALE CONSULTING was founded in 2020 in September as a company that wanted to offer international standards and processes for Romanian companies, offering personalized services for each company.

What is the range of services that you deliver and what differentiate you from other players on the local market?

We offer services in regards to the IT infrastructure configuration and support, Digitalization and web and application development. We differentiate from other as we have created a personalized onboarding process, were the client is the most important.

Please, elaborate on each service that you provide, what are they consisting of: Digitalization Migration and implementation, Cloud services, IT infrastructure support, Web and app support.

Digitalization – we offer different solutions for ERP systems that can fit the budget of the client.

Migration and Implementation – we support the client in migrating and implementing a new ERP and not ERP systems

Cloud Services – We offer the support in creating a cloud infrastructure and also configure all the requirements of the client

What major projects have you conducted this year and what are the new ones are for the year to come?

We have a multinational company with over 100K employees and we are supporting in configuring SAP system related to the Governance, Risk and Compliance. As new project we will have an implementation of an ERP system for LifeCare.

What was the turnover for 2023 and what is the prospect for 2024?

The turnover for 2023 was 300k euros, but in 2024 we already have 700K made until now.

What were the challenges that you faced in Romania, if any?

The main challenges I faced in Romania are related to founding European Union money in order to invest in the company in order to develop the business and also release the Saas application that is under the development.

Did the tax regulation amendments affect your company in any way?

The current tax regulation is not affecting me as I already adapted and I am currently considered as a big company.

How do you see the IT market evolution in Romania? Any forecasts for 2025?

The IT marker in Romania is increasing as all the Romanian companies needs to start and digitalize every process. For 2025 I think that the market will increase by 5% for new jobs and also with new projects.

Romania has been perceived as the new Silicon Valley in terms of computer science and IT potential, especially in terms of employees. Is Romania still employee friendly in this regard?

Yes, as we offer the best quality in regards to the price that we offer but also in some exceptions we can cover efficiently more position as we can adapt very quickly.

Figures from abroad forecast troubling waters for the sectors, with ongoing and future layoffs across IT firms in the pipeline. What is your opinion, will this affect Romania as well?

These developments suggest that Romania’s IT sector is not immune to the global challenges facing the industry. Factors such as economic uncertainties, technological advancements, and shifts in business strategies are contributing to these changes. While Romania has been a significant player in the IT outsourcing market, the current global trends indicate a need for adaptation and resilience within the local industry.

It’s essential for stakeholders in Romania’s IT sector to monitor these developments closely and consider strategies to mitigate potential impacts, such as diversifying services, investing in emerging technologies, and upskilling the workforce to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global market.

With the expansion of AI in everything, what are the certainties in the IT field. Will AI be able to replace coders, as well?

AI will not replace coders entirely, but it will transform the nature of coding jobs. Coders will evolve into roles that require higher-order thinking, creativity, and strategic oversight. By embracing AI as a tool rather than fearing it as a competitor, IT professionals can secure their place in a rapidly changing landscape.